Improvement in removable frog-pads for horses  feet



A, F.. OLDS.

EEMOVAELE FEDE-PAE EOE EoEsEs FEET.

im PETERS, FHQTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHvNGTON, DA c.

UNITED* STATES ATEN'I FFIOE..

ALONZO F. OLDS, OF NEW YORK, N.l Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN REMOVABLE FROG-PADS FOR HORSES FEET.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 172,473, dated January18, 1876; application filed May 17, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALONZO F. OLDs, of New York, in the county and Stateof New York, have invented an Improved Removable Frog-Pad for HorsesFeet; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, andexact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing which forms part of this specification.

My invention consists in an adjustable removable elastic pad of novelconstruction, adapted to the shape of the frog, and provided with meansfor securing it to the horseshoe, whereby many advantages are obtained,and many of the evils incident to the use of the ordinary shoe without apad are remedied, as hereinafter particularly described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a central vertical sectionalview of a horses foot and attached shoe. Fig. 2 is a sectional view ofmy improved pad and an attached horseshoe. Fig. 3 is a top view of thesame. Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the pad. Fig. 5 is a detail viewhereinafter referred to.

The horseshoe B is of the ordinary construction, wit-h the exceptions ofthe details hereinafter referred to. The elastic pad G is composed ofrubber or other suitable elastic material, of a suitable width to allowit to readily lit between the sides and rear ends or heel portion of theshoe, and with its front edge rounded to correspond with the inner edgeof the front or toe of the shoe. In its thickness it is slightly`tapering or wedgeshaped, so that the front end is thinner than the toeof the shoe, and the rear portion is thicker, and projects below theshoe, as shown in Fig. 2. rEhe bottom or sole ofthe pad may be roughenedin any suitable manner. The, upper side of the pad is provided, ifnecessary, with a cavity, c, corresponding with the size and shape ofthe frog a of the foot A, so as to lit nicely thereon. This cavity andthe entire upper side of the pad may be lined or faced with felt, cloth,or similar material. At the front end of the pad is a toe-piece, d, forinsertion above the shoe to assist in holding the pad in place. Thistoe-piece may be a perforated lug, or a staple or Veye formed of a pieceof wire with its ends bent, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. A slightcavity is provided in the shoe or hoof, or partially in both, for thereception of the toe-piece. A screw, b, is passed through the toe-pieced for securing the'latter in the cavity in the shoe, the head of thescrew being countersunk in the shoe, as shown in Figs. l and 2. Near therear end of the pad are two lateral lugs', e e, one on each sideopposite to each other, for engagement with grooves g g in the shoe B;and at the heel or rear edge of the pad is a staple or eye,f, forpulling it in place by means of a hook when necessary, as hereinafterdescribed. `The lugs e e and eye f may be made of separate pieces ofmetal, embedded in the pad in any suitable lnanner, but I prefer to makethem of one piece, as follows: l take a piece of elastic steel wire, E,about sixteen inches long, and first bend it midway of its length, toform the eye or staple f, then outward, and again inward, to form thelugs e e ,z and, inally, bend the ends in the first-mentioned direction,toward the front end of the pad, about parallel with the portion whichforms the eye orstaplej'. Theform in which the wire E is bent is shownin dotted lines in Fig. 3. The eye portion and the extreme ends of thewire are inclined upward and downward from a horizontal line, so as tointersect each other in the manner shown in edge View, Fig. 5. The wireE, thus arranged, is embedded in the pad O when said pad is molded. Bybending the wire in the form and manner described, it serves to form thelugs c e and eye or staple f, and by inclining the ends and eye portionin the manner shown in Fig. 5, it constitutes a spring, and addssti'ness, strength., and elasticity to the pad. The grooves g in the webof the shoe are, preferably, made to run parallel with the upper andlower sides, extending forward to the bulge or widest part of the shoe,as shown in Figs. l and 3; butin some cases the grooves may be inclinedand extend to the surface of the shoe.

The thickness of the shoe or of the pad may be varied, in order to varythe pressure on either the frog or the heel, according to circumstances,or the condition of the horses7 foot.

The pad C is attached and secured in place by rst inserting the lugs e ein the grooves g g, and forcing the pad toward the heel, us-

ing, it' necessary, a hook in eye j' to pull it and foot, and springinto place, and, if necessary the screw b is inserted, as shown in Figs.2 and 3.

By means oil this invention many advantages are obtained, and many ofthe evils incident to the use of' the ordinary shoes without pads areremedied. It equalizes the pressure on the foot by imparting a portionthereof to the frog. It breaks the concussion on the foot 5 preventsslipping on ice or slippery pavements; prevents balling77 in snowyweather; prevents injury to the foot by nails, stones, &c., and preventsinjury to the joint from bruises. It prevents both splitting andcontraction of the quarters, and also remedies the evils` resultingtherefrom. By its elasticity it gives the horse higher knee-action', andimproves the gait of they animal.

What 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The spring-wire E bent midway of itslength to form the eye f, andbent outward and inward to form the lugs e e, said wire being moldedwithin the elastic frog-pad G, and having its eye portion and extremevend bent upward and downward. as described, in cornbination with theloop d embedded in the said pad, and with the shoe B, having therecesses g g, all substantially as and for the purposev described.

2. The elastic steel-wire E, constituting a spring, and also forming thelugs e e and eye f, in combination with the pad C and shoe B,

substantially as herein described.

A. F. OLDS.

Witnesses MICHAEL RYAN, FRED. HAYNES.

